A West Paducah couple accused of abusing a 2-year-old boy pleaded not guilty Thursday in McCracken Circuit Court.Taylor Sloan, 21, and her live-in boyfriend, Jarell Hardin, 25, were charged with first-degree assault, first-degree criminal abuse of a child under 12, second-degree wanton endangerment, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia after McCracken detectives were alerted to a case of possible child abuse.Hardin also is charged with tampering with physical evidence.According to McCracken County Detective Capt. Matt Carter, the sheriff's department was alerted to the alleged abuse on May 10 by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, sparking a month-long investigation.Carter said the agency was notified after a 28-month-old child was taken to an area hospital. Due to the severity of the child's injuries, the boy was transported to an out-of-state hospital, the name of which has been withheld.Doctors at the out-of-state hospital considered the number of injuries, the position of the injuries on the child's body and their severity and concluded the toddler had endured "severe child abuse," the sheriff's department said.Sloan, the child's mother, and Hardin were then interviewed, Carter said, adding that the couple's explanation for the child's injuries were not consistent with the medical or physical evidence obtained during the investigation.Officials said the couple's Morgan Oaks Lane residence was also searched and small quantities of marijuana were allegedly found within a child's reach.Sloan and Hardin were indicted by a grand jury on June 5.According to the indictment, the couple "wantonly engaged in conduct which created a grave risk of death to (the child), and thereby caused serious injury to him."Carter said the couple turned themselves in on June 8 after the indictment was handed down.Court documents show the initial circuit judge on the case, Craig Clymer, recused himself on June 11, stating he is personally acquainted with the family of one of the defendants. Clymer presided over Thursday's arraignment before handing the case over to Circuit Judge Tim Kaltenbach.Sloan and Hardin will next appear in court for a pretrial conference at 1 p.m. Aug. 31.Contact Kat Russell, a Paducah Sun staff writer, at 270-575-8653.